THE body of a teenage girl was found next to a car outside a UK hospital yesterday.

Police discovered the tragic 17-year-old in the early hours of Sunday morning at Belfast City Hospital.

Offices have linked the death to a crash that took place around four miles east in the Castlereagh area of the city.

Belfast Live reported that detectives found a silver Mercedes on its roof and injured man at the crash scene and discovered the teen's body around 20 minutes later.

The teen was lying next to a grey coloured MG car by the hospital.

Chief Inspector Michael Gregg of the PSNI said: "Sadly, the female was subsequently pronounced deceased. A postmortem will be carried out in due course to establish the cause of death.

"Our investigation is at an early stage, however, we believe there is a link between the collision on Ballygowan Road in the vicinity of its junction with Manse Road, and the discovery of the teenager’s body. I have a number of appeals to make this evening.

We need to know how this young girl was brought to the hospital, by whom and from where."

"Were you in the Manse Road area/general Ballygowan area between 1am and 2.30am this morning? Did you see a car matching the description of the silver Mercedes? Did you witness the collision? Did you see any other vehicles in the time after the collision, including a grey MG?

"If you were on the road at these times, please think back to what you may have seen. It’s important we can track the movement of the vehicle involved to help us establish what happened.

"I also want to appeal to anyone who was in the Belfast City Hospital/Lisburn Road area of the city this morning and saw a grey MG, to please call us. We need to know how this young girl was brought to the hospital, by whom and from where.

"If you have information about the collision, or the circumstances surrounding the death of this young girl which you believe could assist our investigation, please, pick up the phone and call us on the non emergency number 101, quoting reference number 227 of 24/03/19.

"I would also urge anyone who may have captured footage of the collision on Manse Road or of the a Grey MG in the area of the City Hospital to call us."

The investigation is ongoing.